THE EMILY DICKINSON HANDBOOK : Edited by Gudrun Grabher, Roland Hagenbuchle, and Cristanne Miller. 480 pp. Amherst : University of Massachusetts Press, 1998. ISBN 1-55849-169-4 (hbk.)

For anyone who is seriously interested in Emily Dickinson, this is a marvelous book that provides up-to-date information about her life and works, her letters and manuscripts, the cultural climate of her age, her reception and influence, and what is going on in current Dickinson scholarship.

The book's 22 essays have been distributed in eight sections : Introduction; Biography; Historical Context; The Manuscripts; The Letters; Dickinson's Poetics; Reception and Influence; New Directions in Dickinson Scholarship.

Although I've read many critical collections, several of which were devoted exclusively to Dickinson, I can't remember ever having been so impressed. Usually an anthology will hold one or two outstanding contributions, with the rest being humdrum and of little real interest, but here pretty well all of them are outstanding, and I found only one that struck me as being both pretentious and obscure.

I was especially impressed by Robert Weisbuch's brilliant 'Prisming Dickinson, or Gathering Paradise by Letting Go,' by Josef Raab's 'The Metapoetic Element in Dickinson,' by Martha Nell Smith's 'Dickinson's Manuscripts,' by Paul Crumbley's 'Dickinson's Dialogic Voice,' by Roland Hagenbuchle's 'Dickinson and Literary Theory,' and in fact by many others. So much so that this seems to me the single most valuable book on Dickinson that I've ever seen, and the one from which I've learned most and continue to learn. It really is that good.

The book is bound in a full strong cloth, stitched, beautifully printed on excellent strong smooth ivory-tinted paper, has clearly been designed to withstand the heavy use it will be getting, and is excellent value for money. No serious student of Emily Dickinson should be without it. Weisbuch's essay, serving as it does to provide one with a whole new way of understanding ED, is pretty well worth the price of the book itself.

So don't pass this one up! It's a gem!

If you are new to Dickinson studies, or if you simply want to read the most current thinking about the poems, The Emily Dickinson Handbook is a must. It contains essays on subjects ranging from the historical context of the poems to the poet's metapoetic sensibility. This text is also a wonderful introduction to the writings of the finest Dickinson scholars extant. Richard Sewall, Paul Crumbley, Christanne Miller, Sharon Cameron, Martha Nell Smith, and many other great thinkers offer the reader a glimpse into the realm of magic and poetry. If you love Emily Dickinson, do yourself a favor -- read this book.

If you read the book, you find out that the first edition actually appeared in the mid-1950's; only the last three chapters were added to an "updated edition" in time for the phonograph's centennial, in 1977. This is not a criticism; it is one of the book's strengths that the author was able to speak with associates of the engineers and inventors who were there to see the various improvements to the phonograph. Mr. Gelatt had something like a fifty-year head start over the researcher who would try to put this book together today, so he got a lot closer to the source. It is doubtful he could have known when the book was published that in five short years, the digital medium that eventually replaced the phonograph in most applications would make its appearance in 1982 in the form of a compact disc. Now it is 2002; the phonograph's 125th year, and the 20-year anniversary of CD in America. This book badly needs an update to include the digital revolution that occurred in the 25 years since it was published, but it is an excellent volume on the phonograph itself and related technologies that came and went along the way. It includes some technical explanantions of how the inventions worked, but on a level the layman can understand; it doesn't bog down in jargon. You need not be an engineer to enjoy and learn from it--you can be a student of technology, business, marketing, music, advertising, pop culture, or sociology and still find an angle on the phonograph from your perspective in this book. Well worth seeking out; in fact, I read it in the local library, but am now seeking a copy to keep for reference on my home bookshelf.

I've read this in the local library. Great book, a real page-turner believe it or not, even if you're not a hi-fi buff (and I'm not). Fascinating history of the developments of the technology involved in the phonograph and phonograph records. I'd like to see someone update this for the digital age. Pity the book is out of print. Worth searching for.

I completely agree with the previous review listed on this book.It's very easy for anyone to do & goes step by step.I only wish there was even more ideas in it.Maybe they'll come out with a second edition for us!

This is one of the best cake decorating books I have. Mr. Winbeckler is amazing and he is a great teacher. All the animals featured in the book are achievable by cake decorators of all levels. The instructions are very simple to follow and you will be making adorable cakes or cupcake characters in no time! I HIGHLY recommend!

I love these books by Roycraft. If you love painting landscape or natural subjects, you cannot go wrong reading this book. Roycraft's techniques look simple (a lot of splashing going on) but they are controlled and well thought out. If you love floral painting you should not miss his examples here of a peony and an iris. JUST Breathtaking. I picked up so many ideas from this book.

Not only are Roycraft's paintings beautiful to see, he knows how to communicate his techniques incredibly well. I'm glad I found this watercolor artist's books.

Having read "enough" art technique books, I have learned that until one gets "down and dirty" trying out what is discussed in the book, then one does not actually spend the money wisely (on the book).

The same for this book. Beautiful artwork by the author. Did I say beautiful? No, BREATHTAKING, rather. However, to be able to generate beautiful artworks, the readers will need the following:

- An ability to SEE (light, dark, positive and negative space)

- Follow instructions from the book (which is PROBABLY the easy part, since it is rather well-written)

- A decent craftsmanship to finesse the final painting after the "mask and pour paints" phase of the process.

Briefly, I would think this is a power tool for watercolorists. How great the final products turn out to be will depend on the aforementioned factors.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

From Boston To Berlin: A Journey Through World War II In Images And Words by Christopher E. Mauriello (Assistant Professor of History, Salem State College, Salem, Massachusetts) and Roland J. Regan Jr. (Adjunct Professor at Harvard University, Suffolk University, and Salem State College) is a powerful, emotional look at the war that forever changed every nation in the world. A small portion of the book is devoted to an overview of major events in WW II, to refresh the lay reader's memory. Black-and-white photographs and letters from people on the front lines comprise the overwhelming majority of From Boston to Berlin, adding a personal touch to the life-and-death struggles on D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, and much more. A poignant memorial book, From Boston To Berlin is a highly recommended contribution to the growing body of World War II literature.

WONDERFUL AND FACINATING ACCOUNT OF THE EVERYMAN IN THE AMERICAN ARMY IN EUROPE DURING WORLD WAR 2 (WWII)

The authors recount the war experiences of their father's as they trekked across Europe chasing the Nazi's back to Berlin. Their story is told through the pictures taken by Regan and letters home by Mauriello. We are able to see a much more personal side of the conflict - the day to day struggles and lamentations of the average man in the fields.

The photos are remarkable because Regan never developed them during the war, and thus they were never subject to military censorship and readily depict the daily grind from the soldiers point of view.

Mauriello's letters home allow us an even more intimate and personal glimpse into the life and mind of one man facing the perils of occupied Europe. A special kind of humanity comes to light as the "orders" of the Command conflict with the generous and loving nature of another of America's forgotten hero's.

This would be a MOST EXCELLENT GIFT for a son or daughter to give to their veteran father. Give it to them, show them you are interested in what it was like for them to be involved in such a world shaking event. Use this as an opportunity to get them to share the special stories that they have inside them.

More accessible than some other titles by Barthes, this book nevertheless exhibits the same pyrotechnic questing intelligence that makes everything from his hand a delight to read. An excellent translation maintains the high order language that thrills the conceptually sophisticated and frustrates the "pseudos" who like ideas predigested and offered up in monosyllables. The argument is not an academic one; rather, this is speculative writing at its most adventurous. A title for those who consider the brain their favorite organ.

Roland Barthes strikes me as an unreliable logician and a philosopher that one should be wary of. His premises are largely unsupported (or supported only weakly) and his statements often paradoxical or vastly generalized. His vocabulary is of such an unnecessarily high level that it strikes me as a smokescreen for faulty logic. Furthermore, I side with John Irving in his defense of Kurt Vonnegut: the assumption that what is easy to read must have been easy to write is acceptable only in those who do not write. Note the following excerpt from a passage on page 42 of the text:

the letter of the image corresponds in short to the first degree of intelligibility (below which the reader would perceive only lines, forms, and colours), but this intelligibility remains virtual by reason of its very poverty, for everyone from a real society always disposes of a knowledge superior to the merely anthropological and perceives more than just the letter.

"Everyone" and "always" are two dangerous words, as most logicians can tell you. One exception disproves the premise, and a diproved premise weakens the argument. The word "real" reveals a bias--what does Barthes mean by a "real" society? It seems, at any rate, a thinly disguised ethnocentric snobbery. "A knowledge superior to the merely anthropological"--why is anthropological knowledge "merely" anthropogical? What, then, is superior to it? and why? I'm not being defensive--I honestly don't know. "Since it is both evictive and sufficient, it will be understood that . . ." "Sufficient"? Sufficient for what? "Evictive"? Does he mean "evocative"? Frankly, I'm not sure anything WILL be understood.

Buy this book for a sleeping pill, a gag gift, or an insufferable class. Otherwise, don't worry about getting literate--in this case, it's overrated. His theories could be expressed in a much simpler way. And then, once you understand them, you find that the ones that do hold up are unquantifiable and inapplicable.

This collection of short stories (and a novella) is beautifully written. Although the setting is in the southwest, the plots and characters should bring forth a sense of recognition from any reader. The first section of the book is devoted to adolescent discovery and disillusionment. Sodowsky has the ability to write through the characters' eyes and minds, with humor and empathy.

The brilliant novella foreshadows nothing, so the reader can hardly put it down; this reader picked it up again at 3 a.m.! Written almost in journal-entry style, the story moves slowly through the days of a dying woman and her relationship with her new neighbors. The writing seems simple and understated, yet the cumulative effect is powerful. A terrific read!

Interim in the Desert is a brilliant book of short fiction. Set in the American Southwest, these stories illuminate the secret longings and frailties in each of us. Modern life is explored and exploded. In one story we learn of the exotic relationship between a young man and a very old, sophisticated, and wise woman--and of her legacy to him. This book is a must read for anyone who appreciates great contemporary literature.

A handful of years ago Thomas Thompson (of the Copenhagen School) wrote a message on an Internet listserv that he did not consider Roland K. Harrison to be a historian. However that was about 1995 and Harrison's book is from 1969 when the issues of historicity were not the same.

Harrison begins his "introduction" (the book runs over 1300 pages) with a review of the development of Old Testament study. A special chapter is dedicated to the Graf-Wellhausen hypothesis and another chapter to reactions to the same. This section is followed by ones on archaeology, chronology, and the text and canon of the Old Testament. Following sections deal with Old Testament history, religion, and
theology.

After almost 500 pages, Harrison begins to deal with the books of the Old Testament beginning with the Pentateuch. This is followed by sections of the prophets and the writings, the other two sections of the Tanakh. Finally comes a section on the Apocrypha.

Needless to say Harrison's Introduction is thorough. His includes some 400 pages more than that of Robert Pfeiffer and 850 pages more than Osterley and Robinson. THIS book is the place to start for anyone interested in what we call Old Testament studies.

If you want a quick and easy intro to the Old Testament, do not buy this book, as it is long and detailed. If you are a serious student of the scriptures who wants as good of an intro as possible to aid your understanding of the Old Testament, then this is the book for you. This is one of the few academic works about which I can actually say that it made a true difference in my confidence about the truth of Christianity. Highly recommended.

This book let me feel how Joe is excellent guiter virtuoso. Try to play his tune allows me to taste his music deeply.

i love jazz guitar. i want to copy his guitar technique

This excellent book provides a unique look into the history of chess by examining the lives and careers of its prominent players. Although the text essentially ends with Fischer, it is a worthwhile read. The author's style is engaging, and his choice to include only a representative game or two at the end of each master's chapter makes the book flow nicely as a story, rather than a manual on chess tactics or strategy. If you are interested in learning about the characters who played a role in defining this great game, Hartston's book is for you.

This is the first book on chess which I have read and it has spurred me to become an avid chess player. The lives of every famous chess player from Philidor to Kasparov is chronicled in this scholarly writing. Complete with their games and excellent photos , this book is a must-read for all who want to know about the greatest players in the history of chess. Brillant and painstaking research on their lives and their eccentricies.